


Golden Opportunity

by Rose_of_Pollux



Series: Inktober for Writers 2017 [10]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 18:47:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12326754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Pollux/pseuds/Rose_of_Pollux
Summary: In which Napoleon receives an amazing job offer--but with one catch: he has to leave Illya behind.





	Golden Opportunity

**Author's Note:**

> For Prompt 10 of Inktober for Writers: Honor

Napoleon was no stranger to rewards and gifts of gratitude for his accomplishments as an U.N.C.L.E. agent. He was outgoing and likeable, and was usually right in the middle of all of the action. Illya, usually sticking to the shadows, didn’t receive as many accolades as Napoleon did.

Oddly enough, Illya didn’t seem to mind; he shunned the spotlight anyway, and though he tried to explain this to Napoleon, Napoleon still always sought to get Illya the same rewards and gratitude he usually received, thinking it grossly unfair that Illya didn’t seem to get the honors he so rightfully deserved.

It was on one such occasion, when Napoleon had saved an eccentric English billionaire from a THRUSH trap, that the familiar scenario repeated itself.

“You really can’t credit me alone, Lord Oakhurst,” Napoleon said. “My partner did just as much as I did—even more!”

“Nevertheless, I only saw your contribution; I make my decisions based on what I see with my own eyes,” Oakhurst said. He cast a glance at Illya. “You may go, Kuryakin; I have important matters to discuss with Solo here.”

Napoleon gave Illya an apologetic look; Illya shrugged and left the room, and Napoleon turned back to Oakhurst.

“What exactly did you need to talk to me about?” he asked, confused.

“Solo, my good lad, just how much are they paying you at U.N.C.L.E.?”

“Well, I live comfortably, and I’ve never lacked anything…”

“Solo, I will pay you four times your current salary if you work for me as my head of security.”

It was a very rare occurrence that Napoleon Solo found himself at a loss for words, but he was now.

“…You’re kidding, right?” he asked.

“Really, Solo, would I kid about something like this?” Oakhurst said. “My life is at stake here, and I am willing to see that you are richly rewarded for protecting it. And it wouldn’t be just the money, either; you would be given lodgings at my manor—with room and board free of charge.”

Napoleon stared at him for another moment.

“Okay, you’re serious,” he realized. “Well, ah… I think you’ve sold me, but on one condition”

“What’s that, Lad?”

“Rather than quadrupling my salary, double mine and my partner’s, and hire the both of us,” Napoleon said.

Oakhurst let out a scoff.

“Hire that scrawny Russian!? Whatever for!?”

Napoleon frowned.

“Illya is exceptionally good in what he does, and, as I said, I would not have been successful in saving your life had he not been helping me. Illya and I are a team, and not only I would feel improperly prepared without him working with me, I could never abandon him just for the sake of money!”

“I am not hiring him!” Oakhurst sneered. “I don’t like that look in his eyes. Not trustworthy, in my opinion.”

“Well, your opinion is wrong,” Napoleon replied, flatly, as he turned to go. “And I think that this conversation is over.”

“Solo, you’re walking away from a golden opportunity!” Oakhurst called after him.

“That’s not what it looks like to me,” Napoleon said. “To me, I’m going back to someone far more valuable.”

He didn’t say another word, and headed out of the room to where Illya was waiting.

“You look like you were insulted,” Illya said.

“Oh, he wanted me to…” Napoleon trailed off, noticing that Illya was holding his communicator in his hand. He checked his own communicator, realizing it was on. “…You picked my pocket and turned on my communicator and put it back before you left the room back there, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“You heard every word?”

“I did.”

Napoleon gave a blank smile to no one in particular.

“You really _will_ make someone a lovely little spy someday.”

“Oh yes?”

“Yeah—me.”

Illya just chuckled and followed Napoleon out the door, determined not to admit aloud that he was flattered and happy that Napoleon had turned Oakhurst down—and knowing that he wouldn’t ever need to say it for Napoleon to know it.


End file.
